Would Raikkonen really return to Ferrari?

Over the weekend, one rumour really came out of nowhere and surprised many in the paddock. Kimi Raikkonen to Ferrari?

The Finn, who won his only Formula One championship in 2007 for Ferrari, is pretty much one of only a handful of drivers who hasn’t been linked with replacing Felipe Massa for the 2013 season, but this link initially felt the most bizarre to-date.

While Raikkonen proved successful at Ferrari from his very first race, winning the Australian Grand Prix on his way to six victories and the drivers championship, his relationship with Ferrari strained towards the end of his three-year stint at Ferrari.

Many people suggested that Kimi simply fell out of love with Formula One once he had achieved his dream of becoming a F1 World Champion.

His 2008 season brought just two victories on his way to finishing third in the championship, while in 2009 he won just once, which apparently promoted a major falling out with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo.

Raikkonen soon departed Ferrari and went into two years of exile, racing in the World Rally Championship and in NASCAR.

He returned to Formula One this season with Lotus and has impressed, showing that 32-year-old is back to his very best.

But with both Raikkonen and team-mate Romain Grosjean out of contract at Lotus at the end of the season, there have been links with both drivers with a switch to Ferrari.

While Romain Grosjean falls into the bracket of young drivers along with the likes of Nico Hulkenberg, Paul di Resta and Sergio Perez, Ferrari have rarely gone down the inexperienced route and are more likely to name a ‘bigger name’ to replace Felipe Massa, hence previous links to Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton.

But could Kimi and di Montezemolo put their issues of three years ago behind them?

Despite negotiating a new contract at Lotus and already holding technical meetings over the new 2013 car, Kimi failed to dampen the rumours in Hungary.

‘I always said that I have no bad feelings and I had a good time with the team. I won one championship there.’ he told Autosport Magazine.

You never know what happens in the future, I am happy where I am right now. Things going pretty nicely.

‘You never know what happens in the future and I am happy where I am.’

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali said: ‘Kimi was a world champion with us and I saw the speculation in the media but nothing more than that.’

While Lotus boss Eric Boullier added: ‘It is nice that Ferrari is in the newspapers, but I don’t know that Kimi has plans to go back to Ferrari,’

Perhaps a bit of politics from the Kimi camp to secure the best deal with Lotus possible?